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There is no shortage of coffee in Guatemala. You can find it at prices from about Q25 to Q80 per pound. But, what’s the difference?

The photo shows the two most common brands you find here. These are non-Gringo coffees. That is, they are what locals drink and you can find these two brands in most tiendas here. They are usually quite good and I have tended to drink the San Valentin. The bags are only 200 grams and you can find it for anywhere from Q17 in a yuppie store in Panajachel to Q10.5 in the public market in San Lucas.

Now, the reason I have the bag of León to show is because I was not really happy with the last bag of San Valentin I bought. It makes coffee the right color but seems low on flavor. It doesn’t mean I have given up on it but I decided it is better to drink the León for a while and then try San Velentin again.

The bag of León you see is 350 grams and cost Q26 in Chalo’s, a typically expensive place. Juana (Rocio’s mom) told me that León in the blue bag is very strong. I saw it when I bought the red one. It said “export quality” and, more important, it cost twice as much. Maybe “export quality” means that it is just coffee beans and while these are 100% pure puro, maybe that includes stems or leaves. 🙂